The present invention relates to a hinge for wings or doors, and in particular to a hinge designed to connect doors of electrical appliances, such as ovens, to the respective supporting frame.
In the following description and by way of example only, without limiting the scope of the invention, the present invention is described with reference to an oven.
Hinges of this type normally consist of two separate parts, kinematically connected to one another, directly or by inserting a lever or the like between them.
In known types of ovens hinges usually comprise two separate elements, kinematically connected to one another and both having a box-shaped structure. More precisely, one of the two box-shaped structures is fixed to the oven frame, at one side of the oven mouth, whilst the other box-shaped structure is fixed to one edge of the door, which in that way is rendered movable with a tilting action relative to the above-mentioned frame.
Between the two box-shaped structures a lever element is operatively inserted as a connecting element, the lever element pivoting on one of the two box-shaped structures, usually on the one stably fixed to the door, and having a first arm rigidly connected to the other of the two box-shaped structures. The second arm of the lever element, coplanar with the first, is operated on by elastic elements which influence the movement of the door, for both opening and closing.
During door rotation starting from the closed position, the elastic elements oppose, during a first step, the detachment of the door from the oven supporting frame and, in a second step, subsequent rotation of the door and its consequent lowering to an end of stroke position in which the oven mouth is completely open. In this second opening step, the door, under the combined action of its own weight which promotes its descent and of the elastic elements which apply a braking action, performs a gradual rotation.
During door rotation starting from its open end of stroke position, the action of the elastic elements is first balanced by the weight of the door, initially guaranteeing gradual closing rotation; however, then, in the absence of a suitable braking action by the user, the elastic elements push the door towards the oven frame with such a force that it often closes in a rather sudden and noisy way.